Recommended 4-Way And 7-Way Wiring For 2010 Subaru Outback Wagon Towing A Camper Trailer

Question:

I have read the information about wiring the Outback for a 7 pin camper hookup. It indicates that I need a brake controller in the cab of the car. I am planning to purchase a small tear camper that requires a 7 pin hookup but does not have trailer brakes. Do I complete the wiring as discussed in the information I read and just not install the brake controller, or is there something else I need to do?

asked by: Scott S

Expert Reply:

I am a little puzzled why there would be a 7-way connector on the camper you are buying but as you said it has no brakes.

If your Outback is the Sport model I recommend the Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness, part # C56111. This plugs into the connections points located behind the tail lights on your Outback and you then run a hot lead wire to the positive side of the battery. I have attached a link to an installation video for this harness on an Impreza which is a different vehicle but has a similar installation.

If you do not have the Sport model I recommend the Tow Ready Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring, part # 118467. This connects to the wiring that is in the rear cargo area on the driver side behind the plastic panel as shown in the attached installation video. Once you locate the vehicle harness you simply plug in the new trailer harness and reinstall the rear cargo compartment items you removed for access.

You will then need to install a 7-way connector on your vehicle so you can plug in the trailer. I recommend part # 37185. This plugs into the 4-way harness on the vehicle. If your trailer needs 12V power you can run the black wire up to the battery.

Since you said the trailer has no brakes you can tape off the blue wire and the purple wire. You will want to make sure the white ground wire is secured to a clean, bare metal surface. The black wire will be run to the vehicle battery with wire like part # 10-1-1 and an inline 40 amp circuit breaker like part # 9510.

When working with electrical connectors I recommend using dielectric grease like part # 11755. This keeps dirt and moisture out of the electrical connections and helps prevent corrosion.

I have attached a couple helpful articles about trailer wiring you can take a look at.